July '08 July Front Page

LivingMysore Magazine
July 2008/Issue #7


Hope you enjoy this month's issue!

Elise and Michael
http://www.livingmysore.com/
BUILDING THE ASHTANGA COMMUNITY ONLINE CHECK IT OUT AND SPREAD THE WORD!

We humbly dedicate this project to our Guru, Sri K Pattabhi Jois, without whom, none of this would be possible. Thank you!

In this issue:

Mysore Highlight "Tina" by Krista Shirley

Mysore Highlight "Anu and Ganesh" by Krista Shirley

My Shala "Yoga Austin -- All You Can Eat: Daily Energy Buffet" by Liz Potter

Movies "Enlighten Up! Premiere in Maui" by Elise Espat

Health "Healthy Eating Tips for Yogis" by Kino MacGregor

Food and Recipes "Why Cleanse?" by Stacy Plaske

Pregnancy "Pregnancy and Practice" by Catherine Harris

Practice Notes "Yoga Sutras 101: Quieting the Mind" by Lauren Cahn

Authorized Interview "Kranti Atmo" by Michael Peter Carter

Practice Notes "Where Do I Go from Here?" by Brian Chase

Seva "Divya and Dad: Profile of an Operation Shanti Family" by Tracy Kunichika

Fun Stuff "Manju Jois Workshop Video by Giuliano Vecchiè" by Elise Espat

Fun Stuff "Mysore Movies by Paul and Rachelle Gold" by Elise Espat

Photo courtesy Krista Shirley

July '08 Mysore Highlight

Tina

by Krista Shirley

Tina Sasson is well known among the yogis in Mysore for her humor, hospitality, and delicious home cooked meals. Feeding students of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois since 2002, Tina doesn’t mess around in the kitchen! She offers Western and Indian breakfast, and North Indian lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. And for those yogis who want to learn how to make Tina’s tasty treasures, she even offers cooking classes by request!

For the last six years, Tina has been opening her home to yogis each morning for breakfast, and she very recently opened her lunch and dinner spot on the Gokulam Main road next to Vijay Driving School.

During a recent interview with Tina, I asked her how this all began? “I have always wanted to do something with people and food,” Tina says. “From the time I was fourteen years old I wanted my father to open a Dhaba (road side café).” During her professional career Tina has run a boutique and taught English, but her childhood dream finally began to materialize in 1999 when she and her family moved to Lakshmipuriam.

Tina vividly remembers seeing oddly dressed foreigners walking around town. When a couple of these foreigners moved into her building Tina decided to introduce herself and give them a little welcoming gift – some of her very own home cooked food.

Before long, her new foreign neighbor, Brad Crews came to Tina’s door requesting three salads for him and his guests. Brad then returned to Tina requesting a home cooked Thanksgiving feast for twenty-five.

Christina Browns, one of Brad’s Thanksgiving guests, was so impressed with Tina’s food she asked Tina to teach her how to cook. Tina began teaching two cooking classes per day, everyday. Little did she know this was merely the beginning!

In 2002, Tina and her family moved to Gokulam and that is when her breakfast café was born. This Valentines Day, Tina opened her "Lunch and Dinner" café on the Gokulam Main road. She offers North Indian cuisine from 1:00-10:30pm.

Tina enjoys being able to share her knowledge and love of food with people from all over the world. But Tina’s generosity extends far beyond the kitchen. This phenomenal woman also helps connect women and children in need with yogis who can assist them. Many children in Mysore cannot go to school because their parents can not afford school fees, uniforms, books, and other supplies. There are underfunded schools in need of blackboards, fans, and other necessary supplies. There are women who cannot work because they cannot afford the bus or train fees to get to and from their job.

Tina has connected generous yogis to people in Mysore who are in desperate need of financial aid. Since 2002, Melanie Baker has helped to fund school uniforms, school books and school tuition for six children. She also purchased a sewing machine so one women could work. Anne Ryan’s donation funded fans for a retirement home and Kimo Brown provided supplies for a school science lab and toiletry supplies for fifty orphan girls. David Roche provided another school with lights and fans. With another student's donation, Tina was able to purchase school uniforms for forty six children. Living Mysore co-founder, Michael Carter, has set up an English program in Mysore where yogis volunteer time two days per week to visit a local school and teach children English. The list goes on and on…

I was very surprised at how easy it was to raise money for less fortunate people in Mysore. All I did was post a notice on my blog and readers donated hundreds of dollars to help Tina purchase school uniforms and shoes for several children, an entire year's school tuition for a little girl, and toiletry supplies for fifty orphan girls. And none of this could be possible without the love and compassion of Tina Sasson. Her love of life, people and food is a true inspiration to us all. So when you come to Mysore to study at AYRI, be sure to stop in and grab a bite of Tina’s home cooked food.

Tina’s Café: Home Cooked Meals

Breakfast

438 Contour Road

Gokulam, 3rd Stage

Open 8:00am-12:00pm

Tina offers fruit, breads, dosas, eggs, porridge, juices and smoothies, and hot drinks. Side items include yogurt (curd), milk, soy milk, honey, butter or ghee, tomato chutney, raisins, dates, sautéed spinach, and sesame seeds.

Lunch and Dinner

Gokulam Main Road, beside Vijay Driving School

Open Monday-Saturday from 1:00pm-10:30pm (Closed Sundays)

Fresh, Home Cooked, North Indian Food

Cooking Classes

Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 1:00pm

Reservations Only – please call for additional information

Tina’s Cookbook Coming Soon!

Tina Sasson

Mobile – 9449818668

Home - 08212416668

Krista is currently practicing in Mysore, India. She writes the blog "AshtangaYogini".

July '08 Mysore Highlight

Anu and Ganesh

by Krista Shirley


Whether you need to use the internet, grab lunch, dinner or a snack, arrange a car to take or pick you up from the airport, arrange a tour, exchange money, or find accommodations – Ganesh and Anu are the people to see! This lovely couple has been assisting yogis in Mysore with all their various needs since 2004.

Ganesh is the only child of a Brahman family. His mother tongue is Telugu but he learned Hindi and Kannada when his family moved from Coorg to Mysore at the age of nine. Anu, a Zoroastrian, was born in Bombay. Her heritage is a fascinating one to say the least. Zoroastrians originated in Persia, but were forced to relocate elsewhere, and many found refuge in Bombay. Her mother tongue is Gujarati but she became fluent in Kannada when her family moved to Mysore.

Ganesh and Anu’s story began when they met at the Mahajana’s College at age sixteen. It was love at first sight! Sadly, Ganesh’s father, Nagaraj, forbid their relationship because Anu was neither a member of the Brahman cast, nor a Hindu. In an attempt to end Ganesh and Anu's courtship, Nagaraj moved Ganesh and his entire family to Bangalore when Ganesh was seventeen. But this didn’t stop the love-struck couple! Ganesh finished his Bachelor’s degree in Science (B.Sc.) in Bangalore, and Anu finished her B.Sc. in Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology in Mysore, but they continued to sneak around to see one another. Ganesh would make trips to Mysore and Anu would come to Bangalore – all without Nagaraj’s knowledge. Oh the things we do for love!

After graduation Ganesh got a job in Bangalore with Godrej & Boyce, where he remained from 1980-1984. Upon graduation from college in Mysore, Anu moved to Bangalore, took a six month secretarial course and then took a job in Bangalore. Because Ganesh wanted to maintain peace in his own family he and Anu continued secretly to see each other. Ganesh went as far as joining law school simply to have an excuse to get out of his father's house to see Anu – he did not attend even one of the law classes his Nagaraj paid for!

But Anu’s parents, who liked Ganesh and did not care about their religious and cultural differences, believed it was high time they get married. After six years of dating Ganesh and Anu married in a civil court in front of a judge. Ganesh wanted to make their union legal in the event Ganesh’s father refused to agree to their marriage. No one, except Anu’s parents, knew about their civil marriage. A few months later Ganesh finally confronted his father, in a public park to reduce the possibility of a scene, to tell him that he intended to marry Anu. Ganesh’s father agreed, under the condition that Anu change her name from Aban (meaning August in Persian) to Anu. Ganesh’s father was ashamed of Anu’s cultural and religious differences and wanted to make Anu as much like a true Hindu as possible. The name "Anu" originates from Anuradha, which means a star, and Anu was also the name of one of Krishna’s girlfriends.

Their marriage ceremony lasted three days. In order for Ganesh’s father to be comfortable, Nagaraj’s own sister and her husband sat with Anu during the wedding ceremony so they could make believe they were her parents and she was Hindu. Anu’s parents were allowed to attend the wedding, but were not introduced to anyone. Following Hindu tradition Anu and Ganesh moved into his parent’s home after the wedding. Anu converted to Hinduism. She learned Telugu, and she was allowed to wear only a Sari.

Anu and Ganesh’s daughter, Brunda, was born in Bangalore. Not long after her birth, Ganesh got a job in Muscat, the capital of Oman, selling furniture for Mohsin Haider Darwish. At first Ganesh had to move alone, Anu and Brunda stayed behind in Bangalore with his parents. Ganesh furnished a house for a gentleman who offered to hire Anu to come work for him. This provided the visa Anu needed to move to Muscat with Ganesh. Brunda couldn’t come at first, so Ganesh’s parents looked after her. When Brunda was six, she joined Ganesh and Anu in Muscat and in 1990, their son Bharat was born. In 1993, Ganesh and Anu bought the house they currently occupy in Mysore, but they continued living in Muscat until 1997. The same year they purchased their Mysore home, Ganesh’s father, Nagaraj, passed away. In 1997 Bharat and Ganesh moved back to Mysore, and Anu and Brunda joined them the following year.

Upon returning to Mysore, Ganesh took a job working with a recruitment agency sending people to the Middle East to work and Anu worked as an administrative officer for a local company. In 2003, Ganesh and Anu opened Ganesh Bhavan, a restaurant just outside of town on the way to Ooty. They did really well, but had to sell the restaurant once Anu’s Bamboo hut became too demanding.

Anu’s Bamboo Hut opened in 2004. A yoga student living with Anu and Ganesh urged them to offer lunch and dinner to yoga students because no one was at the time. After some investigation and thought, Anu and Ganesh went to the local Bamboo Bazaar and ordered a custom made Bamboo Hut for the rooftop of their house. Shortly thereafter, Anu’s Bamboo Hut opened!

The growth of Anu’s Bamboo Hut was all via word of mouth. Yoga students spread the word to others and Anu’s Bamboo Hut quickly became a favorite spot among yogis. Anu serves delicious and healthy home cooked meals, buffet style, for lunch and dinner, Friday through Wednesday. Anu usually prepares a soup, 3 salads, dal, rice, chapattis, 3 cooked vegetable dishes, and she always tops off the meal with an amazing Indian desert!

Lunch is served from 1pm and Dinner from 5pm. They also offer the world's most amazing vegan chocolate banana pie, smoothies, masala chai, ginger lemon tea, coffee and milk, black tea/black coffee, lassi's and an assortment of other treats throughout the day on request.

The birth of Anu’s Internet café came shortly after Anu’s Bamboo Hut. Ganesh noticed the need for a good internet café – there were only two or three at the time but the number of computers and the internet speed were extremely limited. With a desire to offer the highest standard, to be the best internet café around, Ganesh sold his car and took out a bank loan so he could purchase fast computers and a fast internet connection. Ganesh offers high-speed broadband internet and Wi-Fi wireless internet connection for laptops – all for 20 rupees per hour, 10 rupees per half hour. Anu’s Internet Café also offers CD writing, DVD writing, voice chat, webcam- Skype, and laser printing.

In addition to meals and internet, you can see Ganesh if you need to find accommodations in Mysore, if you need to exchange money, want to take a tour, or if you need taxi service to or from the Bangalore airport. Ganesh offers spectacular taxi services in your choice of Tata Indigo car, a Tata Indica car, or an Ambassador car. If you wish to get dropped from Mysore to the new Bangalore International Airport the fare is Rs. 2000/- Add Rs.200 for Air-conditioned car. The fare for pickup from the new Bangalore International Airport to Mysore is Rs. 2100/- Add Rs.200 for Air-conditioned Car. If you would prefer to be dropped or picked up from the new Bangalore International Airport in a 4X4 Wheel drive Jeeps/Van (Tata Sumo, Chevrolet tavera, Chevrolet Tavera deluxe (all seats facing front and seat belts to all seats) expect to pay a bit more. And on prior intimation other Luxury Cars can be arranged.

Ganesh also arranges site seeing tours in and around Mysore - Chamundi Hill, Mysore Zoo, Mysore Palace, JaganMohan Palace, Brindavan Gardens, Srigangapatna - Tippu Sultan's Fort, and the Bird Sanctuary. He can arrange out of town tours to Bylacuppe (Tibetan settlement), the Kabini Jungle resort and Bandipur Forests, Coorg, Belur, Halebid and Sravanabelagola. If you wish to travel to destinations outside Karnataka such as Chennai, Tamil Nadu and the Kerala beaches Ganesh can help you with that as well.

Anu and Ganesh are wonderful people who have, throughout their entire lives, and against all odds, followed their dreams. And they are some of the most caring and giving individuals I've ever had the pleasure to call my friends. Both in the yoga community, and in the local community, Anu and Ganesh open their doors and their hearts to lend a hand, offer advice, and provide food and shelter. And they aren't short on jokes either, Anu and Ganesh have such a joyful, happy, and humorous outlook on life - they can have you rolling on the floor laughing in stitches one minute, and holding your tummy satisfied by Anu's tasty meals the next. Needless to say, Anu and Ganesh Rock! So next time you need to find accommodations, use the internet, grab a bite to eat, or catch a taxi be sure you stop in and speak to Ganesh and Anu!



Anu’s Bamboo Hut and Anu’s Internet Cafe

367, 2nd Main, 3rd Stage
Gokulam, Mysore
Karnataka, India 570 002
Email: anugan@gmail.com or ganeshmysore@gmail.com
Phone: 0821 4288120




Krista is currently practicing in Mysore, India. She writes the blog "AshtangaYogini".

July '08 My Shala

Yoga Austin

All You Can Eat: Daily Energy Buffet 

by Liz Potter

Every Sunday through Friday in Austin, Texas, a crazy mix of people get together and practice mysore style Ashtanga. We squeeze in tight, with a fish tank to test our discipline with drishti and a fuzzy little Pekingese to remind us all to not take ourselves too seriously. The energy in our practice room is so strong and rich, it’s almost like we’re creating an invisible hug every day- a hug that scoops up everyone in its embrace. It carries us all along through the hard work, the challenges, the sweating, the laughter, and occasionally the crying. 

Our mysore group is an eclectic mix of people who congregate because of our love of the practice and our respect and devotion to our teacher. Austin is a great place to live if you want to do yoga. There are beautiful studios everywhere offering all types of yoga in every corner of the city. There are mysore classes going on morning, noon and evening depending on where you want to study. What we all found in our teacher is someone who cultivates a real and sustaining practice for people who have busy lives, families, jobs, and aching bodies from stressful lifestyles. He breathes life into a form of yoga that can sometimes get bogged down with dogma and rigidity. His passion for the practice is so steady and grounded that it draws people to him. His gifted way of passing on what Ashtanga does for him is why students suddenly go from dabbling in yoga to a full on 6 day a week Ashtanga practice.

 

When I look around our mysore room, I see the two swimmers with their powerful, tan shoulders athletically working their way through the series, I see the recently graduated high school student who is connecting to his body for the first time, the woman recovering from knee surgery who patiently modifies her practice, and the tennis player with the glowing smile who stands so solidly on her mat that a hurricane couldn’t blow her over. There’s the Tango dancer who has amazingly beautiful forward bends, the mom of two young girls who is so strong she could kick all our butts, the high school history teacher who rides his bike to class through the 100 degree Texas summer and then amazes us all with sweat drenched stamina, and the pretty young woman who went from a vinyasa gal to a hardcore mysore student within a month. Then there’s the professional opera singer who deepens the chant with her controlled vocal powers, the willowy woman who is learning how to overcome a childhood injury and gains strength and confidence in her practice every day, the gorgeous blond who has effortless drop backs that look like a stick of butter melting in the microwave, and finally, a guy who just showed up randomly one day – never having done yoga before in his life, and has come back every day since! 

Come on now; is that a group or what? How crazy that we all come together every day because we feel the powerful draw of such a humbling practice. We’re all different ages and body types and all lead very different lives, but when we’re in that room together, and we ride each other’s breath, we find the common thread that unites us all. We have all come to realize that no one is getting away with a sloppy practice because the watchful eye of our teacher is on us at all times. He is truly omnipresent! But this discipline is so wonderfully softened by the humor we sometimes find when someone lets out a really loud grunt, or another person announces success in a posture that has been worked on for months, or when someone belts out “yoga is hard!” and we all crack up. There are days when someone is called out by the teacher- from all the way across the room- when he catches her (or him) trying to rush through a dreaded pose. Everyone laughs, knowing that we’ve all been there. We’ve all been busted. This perfect balance of discipline, compassion, and humor is what makes us all grow in our yoga and to appreciate what it does for us in our daily lives. It also unites an unlikely group of people and creates friendships. I think mysore style Ashtanga is unique in the wide variety of yoga because, when the time is right for a student to devote his or herself to it, it becomes a daily practice that can last a lifetime. There’s no hurry because there’s no end to get to. It’s a living practice. No matter where a student is in his or her practice, there’s a mysore group waiting to be joined. There is no beginner’s class or advanced class, we’re all lumped together and everyone respects each other’s efforts whether a person is learning sun salutations or is half way through 3rd series. The ebb and flow of life is mirrored in the practice in such a beautiful way, and those who decide to ride the wave always find a community through the common effort and study. I know our little community in Austin is just one in the wide world of Ashtanga yoga, and that the same passion and power is being shared by other groups all over the planet! Who doesn’t want to be a part of that? 

Liz Potter and friends practice daily with Mike Matthews in Austin, Texas. She keeps a blog on her daily adventures as a yoga student (accidentalashtangi.blogspot.com)

July '08 Movies

Enlighten Up! Premiere in Maui

by Elise Espat

Ashtanga pioneers turn out for premiere of "Enlighten Up!" at the Maui International Film Festival

It was a night of Ashtanga yoga stars as Norman Allen, David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff attended the premiere of “Enlighten Up!” at the Maui International Film Festival [see previous interview with filmmaker Kate Churchill]. The last time these three yoga pioneers had been together was when Sri K. Pattabhi Jois had visited Maui in 2000 and before that it had been India in the 1970’s.

“Enlighten Up!” is a feature documentary film that tells the story of Nick Rosen, a skeptic, on a worldwide journey into yoga. One of the many stops along Nick’s journey is to study with Norman Allen on the Big Island. Norman has an unconventional style and turns much of what Nick Rosen has learned upside down. He has an unusual way of opening up the practice to Nick.

On Nick's experience, Nancy Gilgoff noted, "I was reminded of my own journey into yoga. Nick visits a saint. The saint tells him to remember what is important in this life. He explains it in a very simple yet profound way. I was reminded of something that I seemed to have been forgetting about myself and I was deeply touched by his words".

In many ways, American Ashtanga yogis have Norman Allen, David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff to thank for helping bring Ashtanga Yoga to the West. It all started back in India in the 70’s when Norman Allen and David Williams met in 1972 at Swami Gitananda’s Ashram in Pondicherry. Through a series of events, including seeing Manju Jois perform a yoga demonstration, the two ended up in Mysore, India requesting to study with Pattabhi Jois in 1973. David Williams’ visa expired and he had to return to the United States while Norman Allen stayed and was accepted as the first American to practice with Pattbahi Jois.

About four months later, David Williams returned with Nancy Gilgoff and began studying with Pattabhi Jois, making Nancy the first American women to study with Jois. The three students spent a number of years studying in Mysore and returned as needed to the United States. In 1975, David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff facilitated bringing Pattabhi Jois and Manju Jois to Encinitas, California for the first Ashtanga yoga workshop on U.S. Soil. Norman Allen stayed in Mysore to keep the shala open while Pattabhi Jois was in California. David had a yoga studio in Encinitas, and organized the workshop there for about 20 students, this studio would later be known as “the birthplace of Ashtanga yoga in America.”

When asked about what he thought about the movie Norman Allen with a big grin explained, “The movie gets rids of the cultism of yoga, the message is:  come on and do it and see what happens, there is not one way—everyone has a consensus that there is one goal, everybody agrees on that, but there is not one way.”

Filmmaker Kate Churchill returned to Boston after a whirlwind trip and noted, “one of the best moments in Maui was seeing these yoga pioneers, David, Nancy and Norman, smiling and laughing as they discussed the movie after the show. “

Next on Churchill’s plate, is to get “Enlighten Up!” released nationally. The film is slated to open at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts September 12, 2008 and Churchill is working with a team to release it in a number of cities throughout the country. She plans to spend her summer promoting the film, including posting outtakes on her website. We will keep checking the site and keep you abreast of any new developments. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the trailer, follow the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKQw0-IlJiY

"Enlighten Up! is a welcome addition to the movies about yoga. Finally something "different" has been made. A wonderful film! I highly recommend it."  -Nancy Gilgoff

For more information about “Enlighten Up!” visit the film’s website: www.enlightenupthefilm.com .

Elise is packing her bags for her next trip to India.

July '08 Health

Healthy Eating Tips for Yogis

by Kino MacGregor

1. Be conscious of your emotional state before, during and after eating. If you are angry, sad, anxious or depressed before or during your meal you will not digest your food as well as when you are peaceful, relaxed and happy. If you notice that you feel worse after you eat it’s a good sign to take a deeper look at your food choices.

2. How you feel about what you eat is as important as any dietary rule, dogma or guideline. A peaceful state of mind is crucial to a sattvic lifestyle and your relationship with food is a great place to start. Let go of any rules that cause you stress or create rigidity and allow them to soften and be replaced with more relaxed attitudes about your body, food and health.

3. When you eat anything you say an internal “yes” to the entire means of production of that food item. This tacit “yes” includes the agricultural system, the food production system, the distribution system, the marketing behind the products, the preparation and everything that goes into the production, creation and delivery of the food that you eat. In a sense, eating is a highly complex method of consumerism and your food stands for what means of production you support.

4. Food is one of the most intimate relationships you make with world. What else that you interact with actually passes through the semi-permeable membranes of your body and literally becomes you from the cellular level and up? Your dietary choices are the building blocks of your body, mind and soul.

5. The brain is as affected, if not more affected by the chemicals in food as the rest of your body. The same receptor cells for neurotransmitters that evoke happiness, anxiety, depression and anger respond to the molecules of food as they are digested and transported throughout your bloodstream. What you eat really makes a lasting impact on how you feel, think and act.

6. If you want to live a peaceful life take notice of the principle of Ahimsa or non-violence in your eating habits. Notice not only whether your food choices cause other beings like animals pain, but also whether your attitude towards food causes you or other people pain. A vegetarian person can be very violent towards other people about their non-vegetarian food choices. While a vegetarian diet certainly helps establish you in a more peaceful relationship with other beings, reacting violently towards those who choose a different path violates the deeper purpose of ahimsa, that is, that of creating and living a more peaceful life.

7. The definition of food as molecules such as fats, proteins and carbohydrates belies a more subtle reality of our eating habits. Food often has a very poignant emotional reality that far outweighs the sum total of its molecular structure. In the most simple way of understanding food, it is a way for us to receive nourishment for our universe and the energy that supports it. In the deepest sense it is an expression of love.

8. Food will nourish you to the extent that you’re open to being nourished and it will pollute you to the extent that you’re open to being polluted. How you think, feel and act about food opens doors to your ability to truly assimilate its power. Just as a great deal of the world in the yoga practice is about surrendering, a great deal of health is about receiving and when you eat you must literally surrender and open yourself up to receive the gift of health from the nourishment of food.

9. The body rebuilds itself constantly on a molecular level and over approximately seven years your body will have replaced most every cell throughout itself from your hair all the way down to your organs. When you eat you have the chance to transform the cellular structure of your body.

10. Your body can be thought of as the home for your spirit. Just as you would thoroughly clean out your residence a few times a year, it’s also a good idea to clean out your body a few times a year. The old tradition of spring cleaning can also be applied to your body. After the holiday season and the winter diet of heavy foods it might feel good to fast, cleanse and eat lightly for a few days to keep everything flowing along the inner channels of your body.

Kino MacGregor is the founder of Miami Life Center, a space for Ashtanga yoga, holistic health and consciousness on Miami Beach, where she and her husband Tim Feldmann teach together. She is the youngest woman out of a select few people in the world to receive the certification to teach Ashtanga Yoga by its founder Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. Both teaching locally on Miami Beach and traveling internationally, she leads classes, privates, workshops, yoga conferences and retreats in traditional Ashtanga yoga and total life transformation. In her unique, inspirational and playful approach, Kino helps her students expand and deepen their understanding of yoga and life.

July '08 Food and Recipes

Why Cleanse?

by Stacy Plaske

Ideally, the body wants to stay in a state of health and balance but it needs the correct "fuel" to run optimally. Yet, even with the correct fuel, the "oil" (blood) needs to be cleaned every so often just like a car. 

We think nothing of filling our gas tanks with the proper good quality fuel and bringing the car in for a tune-up, oil change, or an emissions check. Why wouldn't our bodies need the same thing? Unfortunately, we often put the incorrect, harmful fuel into our body and then expect it to run, never changing the oil nor cleaning the filters. 

Cleansing the system gives you the opportunity to recharge your battery, clean your oil (blood) and cleanse your exhaust system (colon cleansing, kidney detox, liver detoxification and lung purification) by taking stress off the organ systems while eliminating old, toxic debris and residue from your tissues. The end result can be a body unfit for dis-ease, full of energy and lightness, with a clear-thinking, and positive mind. 

When to cleanse?

There are many times of the year when it will be beneficial to cleanse. For example, after the holidays when you want to cleanse the body of all the sugar and alcohol you may have consumed and also lose some weight by following a healthy eating plan. The new moon of each month is always a wonderful time to start anything new because of the grounding, supportive energy the new moon brings. Maybe you'd like to cleanse right after January 1st, starting off the New Year feeling your best. Or, if you're in a state of sluggishness, physically and/or mentally, a cleanse is a wonderful way to brighten, lighten, and refresh yourself! Ideally, to keep it simple, cleansing four times per year with the change of seasons is a great way to keep you in harmony with the cycles of nature. This allows 3 months time between cleanses and prepares your body and mind for the new climate and new energy upon you.

What does it mean:  a body, mind, and spirit cleanse?

Aside from the many physical benefits of cleansing, the emotional and mental state are also positively affected, bringing on a happy, and peaceful feeling. As you cleanse the organs of the body, you may also flush out old, unprocessed, negative emotions and memories. You may experience moments of anger, sadness, and frustration that seem to come out of nowhere. This is the "emotional body" cleansing itself. On a brighter note, you may also experience many moments of pure bliss, contentment, and happiness as you feel better and better.

Here are some delicious recipes to try.  Enjoy!

Spinach & Orange Lentil Ayurvedic Soup

1 c. organic baby orange lentils (you can substitute yellow lentils or mung beans)

16 oz. pre-washed organic baby spinach, coarsely chopped

2 c. filtered water

1 clove organic garlic, sliced thin

1 organic serrano green chile (optional)

1 1/2 tsp. organic mustard seeds

1 1/2 tsp. organic cumin seeds

1/2 tsp. organic chili powder

1 tsp. Himalayan or Celtic Sea Salt

1 tbsp. organic first cold pressed olive oil

In a pot, add the lentils, spinach, water, serrano chile, garlic and salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 25 minutes. You may need to add more water if it boils away. Once the lentils are cooked through soup is done, remove from heat. In a separate pot add the olive oil, once hot stir in the cumin, mustard seeds. When the first seed pops remove completely from the pan and pour all the seeds into the pot with the spinach and lentils. Stir in the chili powder.

Almond Milk (days 1&7 of Ultimate Energy Cleanse)

1 c. sliced almonds

3 c. water

1 tsp. raw organic Agave Nectar

Soak the almonds for 24 hours in a large bowl with plenty of water. Rinse and drain the almonds. Put in a blender with 3 new cups of filtered or bottles water and Agave Nectar. Blend. Strain all the excess almond bits. Chill.

Indian Spice Almond Milk (days 1&7 of Ultimate Energy Cleanse)

2 dates, pitted (soaked to cover in filtered water for 3 hours, retain soaking liquid)

¼ tsp. cardamom

¼ tsp. cinnamon

2 filtered water ice cubes

8 oz. almond milk (see above )

Blend till smooth, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to over blend, as this will warm the liquid.

Coconut Water "Cocktail" (All days of Ultimate Energy Cleanse)

Feeling left out during cocktail hour? Here's a way to keep things fun. Serve this drink straight up in a martini glass or frozen in a margarita glass

4 oz. fresh coconut water

1 kiwi, peeled and seeded†

2 oz .fresh pineapple†

lime juice, dash

honey, to taste

Puree kiwi and pineapple in food processor until smooth. In a martini shaker, add coconut water, fruit mixture, lime juice, and honey. Add ice, cover and shake until well chilled. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a slice of lime. For the frozen version, put all ingredients in a blender and add ice. Blend well and pour into a margarita glass. Garnish with a slice of lime and a straw.

†Note: feel free to experiment with other fruits

The last three recipes are included in the Ultimate Energy Cleanse Recipe Book.  For more information about the Ultimate Energy Cleanse, please visit www.ultimateenergycleanse.com.

Stacy Plaske is an authorized Ashtanga yoga teacher and the owner of Balance Yoga & Healing Arts Center in Huntington, NY. She is a Holistic Health Counselor and co-creator of The Ultimate Energy Cleanse; a 7-day, whole body, vegan alkalizing cleansing program that uses delicious vegan foods, organic herbal formulas, juices, teas, and baths to cleanse the entire body.

July '08 Pregnancy

Pregnancy and Practice

by Catherine Harris

Statistics:

I’m forty-one and 31 weeks pregnant as of July 2nd, meaning I’m either in my seventh or eighth month depending on which book you follow. I have gained about twenty-five pounds. I’m not sure how much I weighed exactly when I started, but on average I usually weigh between 125 and 130. I’m now around a solid 155. I’m just barely shy of five foot six. I have to sleep on my side now and I can still wear my husband’s t-shirts. I am due September 4 or 5. My first child arrived at noon on her due date. We don’t know if this is a boy or a girl. I did not practice during my first pregnancy and it took a year after giving birth to get back into practice. I have been practicing Mysore style ashtanga since 1997. Before this pregnancy, I was just starting to add the first poses of third series. I have never been to Mysore, India, but have attended San Francisco and New York Pattabhi Jois workshops and practiced with teachers in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles. With my family, I don’t know if I’ll ever make it to India, but we dream of a Fulbright that might get us within shouting distance.

I practice about six days a week, but my practice is short now that I’m so pregnant and often tired. I am now doing a modified second series most days and modified primary on Friday. Standing poses with no parivritta trikonasana or parivritta parsvokanansana, still feel great. I now stop at pincha mayurasana most days, though I still try to get all the way through second once a week. It is tiring to lift so much of me. I work with staying in the same alignment as the traditional pose, even through the modifications. Breathing is a challenge as the uterus starts to really impinge on my lung capacity, but it is also incredibly soothing.

Practicing makes my back feel wonderful. I had almost two weeks without practice when we went traveling to my in-laws at the beginning of the month and I had a typical pregnant lady sore back for much of the time. I struggled with returning to a daily practice, but I feel much better. I do have a bit of ligament and muscle soreness under my belly. The body works hard to cantilever all that weight out front.

I am looking forward to retrieving my body from the miracle of childbirth. Figuring out how to practice with a newborn will, of course, be a new challenge, which I did not rise to well, last time around. I was terrified to leave my first child, even just for an hour or two. I hope that emotion will be easier to handle. My practice is also somewhat dependent on the mysore room I teach in, so keeping the teaching flowing as well as the practice with the sleepless nights and new baby seems daunting, but possible. Practice while pregnant seems like just a good stretching of the humility required to engage with the baby. The real test comes later.

The pose run down:
When I do second series, I start with a modified pasasana with my belly between my legs and my arms binding on one knee. The lift into a handstand still works for me, though I do them three or four feet from a wall so I can catch myself if my balance is off, as it often is. I’m learning about a new strength in my back to handle all this new weight.

Krounchasana works well to open my hips now, as I have to pull the leg out to the side quite a ways.

I then do a version of salabasana through parsva dhanurasana, using urdhva mukha svanasana, holding for ten breaths, then an upside down bhekasana, then a transition of side plank pose with no raised foot, down to parsva dhanurasana on the right side, a back bend in between, parsva dhanurasana on the left side, up into side plank and then finishing with five breaths in urdhva mukha. Its not traditional, but it helps move into ustrasana next.

I am still lifting into handstand between the next poses, but I can’t jump back really now. I practice ustrasana, laghu vajrasana and kapotasana. I have backed off a bit on kapotasana, so I only hold the soles of my feet, not my heels. It feels safer somehow.

Some days I do supta vajrasana, but often I just sit in padmasana and stretch my back.

Bakasana is very wide to accommodate the belly, but feels great. I can’t jump in, so I just hold it twice for five breaths each.

I no longer put my hand under my knee in Bharadhvajasana, but I do gently twist.

I don’t twist in Ardha Matsyendrasana. It’s a great pose to look at my moon shaped belly, though.

Eka Pada and Dwi Pada became not possible several months ago. I do a modification holding my outstretched leg with my opposite hand, as you see pictured. I usually add in hanumanasana to help keep my hips moving. Dwi pada becomes really upavista konasana and then I lift into titthibhasana.

Then, I lie down for a version of “dead bug” dropping my coccix to the floor and concentrating on the hip joints and roll up into tittibhasana again. Then jump back, then tittibhasana for five breaths and drop the feet to a very wide and modified b pose. Then, I lift out, hold tittibhasana again for five breaths and jump back.

Pincha mayurasana is still good and that’s usually where I end.

I can hold my padmasana up in karandavasana, but no folding. Mayurasana is out of the question and I just hold chaturanga instead of nakrasana for ten breaths.

By the end of next month, I hope to be comfortable again in the handstands, but perhaps it will wait until I am no longer carrying the baby in me, but am carrying it out of me.

Back bends feel great, but I no longer do any tick tocks after my drop backs. Just three back bends, and up to standing and then three drop backs and down to seated forward bend. All seated forward bending involves opening my legs quite wide.

At the end of finishing, I now do Shavasana rolled over on my left side as the weight of the uterus is uncomfortable on my kidneys and spine if I lie on my back for long.

I won’t go all the way through my modified primary here as it gets too long, but briefly, I leave out janu sirsasana b and c, and marychasana b, c and d. Navasana I substitute lifting and staying in a full squat in between. I have been advised by several people that practicing Navasana makes delivery harder and who wants that? Again I use holding tittibhasana rather than bhujapidasana and supta kurmasana. I think it provides some of the same alignment for the body without impinging on blood flow to the pelvic region. I just hold my toe in supta padagunsthasana with no upper body lift. No chakrasana, and no roll into uhaya padangusthasana or urdhva mukha paschimottanasana.

Click here to read Catherine's past pregnancy updates, as well as the Living Mysore article on Ashtanga Yoga of Albuquerque.

Check out more photos of Catherine practicing in our flickr gallery.

Catherine Harris teaches and practices in Albuquerque, New Mexico with Ashtanga Yoga of Albuquerque, ashtangayogaabq.net. Come visit us!

July '08 Practice Notes

Yoga Sutras 101:

Quieting the Mind

by Lauren Cahn

The practice of yoga dates back way more than two millenia, although it is believed that the "rules of the game" were set down by a yogi and sage called "Patanjali" around 500 B.C. Patanjali means, literally, a sage that was dropped from the sky. He is credited with writing the "Yoga Sutras", which are widely considered to be the "Bible" of yoga, or for non-religious types, the yoga "Constitution".

"Sutra" means "thread" (think: "sutures"), and the Yoga Sutras are a series of short Sanskrit statements on what yoga is, and how we are to practice yoga. According to the Sutras, quite succinctly put, "Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind." Or, to put it another way, the practice of yoga is the practice of quieting the chatter that we hear in our heads.

This chatter in our heads is a constant running commentary based on all of our stored up memories, dreams, perceptions and experiences (including those accrued from past lives, if you are inclined to believe in reincarnation). But the Yoga Sutras tell us that this chatter is not who we really are. Rather, the "self" is actually the observer of all this chatter. When we talk to ourselves, it is our mind talking, but the "self" that is listening.

The self has been there since our birth (and perhaps even before our birth, again, if you believe in reincarnation, which is essentially, the recycling of the self into a new body upon the death of the old one), since before we had language, since before we had experiences that imprinted on our minds. The self has no imprints. It always remains the same - pure and untouched. The self does not merely perceive reality; it is reality. The self exists before and beyond subjective experience.

As the events of our lives unfold, our mind processes the events, creating thought. The mind begins to identify with the thoughts as if the thoughts were truth, itself. The self is obscured by the identification with these thoughts. It's like a lake that is perfectly clear, so that you can see all the way to the bottom. That is the self. The wind blows, causing the water to ripple, causing the sand on the bottom to swirl. The bottom is no longer visible. That is the self as obscured by the fluctuations of the mind.

The practice of yoga is, essentially, the calming of the waters, bringing the bottom back into view. But just as the water of a lake can never be fully calmed, our minds cannot be stripped of their ability to think, perceive, experience. Yoga is not the process of creating a "numb" mind or eliminating all of our thoughts. Rather, yoga is the process of learning to not identify with our thoughts, our emotions, our experiences, of not confusing those things with "reality".

Thoughts, emotions, experiences, even perceptions are transient. They come and they go and they come again and then there they go -- poof. They cannot be the "self", because the self is a constant. Through the practice of yoga, we can come to break our identification with that which is external, recognizing it as external, entirely outside of our control and entirely separate from our true nature, the "self".

So, what does any of this have to do with bending like a pretzel or balancing on our arms or doing seemingly endless sun salutations? The answer is that asana practice, the physical practice, makes the body fit for the practice of yoga. A fit body is a better instrument for connecting with the self. Laziness, illness, discomfort - these are obstacles to the practice of yoga. Practicing asana helps to lessen these obstacles. In addition, asana practice serves as a distraction from the mind's chatter.

Next time you take a yoga class, notice what happens to your mind as you practice your asanas. Notice, without judging, how the mind's chatter seems to recede, even if only to a small degree, allowing time to pass without notice, allowing you to forget what you were stressing about before class began, allowing you to forget that you were thirsty or tired or worried...these are signs of the self emerging. These are signs of practicing...yoga.

Lauren Cahn is a long-time yoga student and sometime yoga-teacher living in the wilds of Westchester County, New York. Lauren writes on matters of yoga and spirituality on the Huffington Post and on her blog: Yoga Chickie. A former attorney, she has also published articles on art and the law. When she's not bending her body or words on the page, she's out in the garden, or hanging with her two pre-teen boys.

July '08 Authorized Interview

An Authorized Interview:  Kranti Atmo

by Michael Peter Carter

Michael: Let’s start at the beginning Kranti… tell us about your origins, where you grew up, etc...

Kranti: I was born 38 years ago in one of the most beautiful countries in the world -- Italy! We have world class food, music, art and amazing landscapes. There is also the ‘Italian Style’ that we put in to everything we do. I lived there for the first 20 years of my life. At this time, the urge to travel pulled me away from my wonderful homeland.

M: Italy sounds like a dream! Tell us something about yourself.  For example:  what your taste is for music, movies, food; or what hobbies you have, childhood nicknames, who inspires you, what things you fear in life (spiders, heights, people) etc…

K: I love music in general, from classical to rock; blues to trance... it all depends on which song is playing.  I cannot really say I like this genre of music only or I don’t like that kind of music at all.

I just enjoy listening to music that touches my emotions. I don’t watch many movies as I think that very few are really worth the time they require. I prefer to read, but I do like movies that are based on a true story, and documentaries.

I love Italian food, which is way more than just pizza and pasta like some people think. As an Italian, food is central in our culture. It is about so much more than putting something in our belly. It is a time for enjoying life, enjoying the company of others. I love Japanese food too, I find it to be one of the healthiest options out there. I like French cuisine and sometimes some good old greasy, overcooked Indian… MMMMM!

I love traveling; I have travelled for most of my life. I love riding motorcycles -- through the country and on the race track!

I don’t have many fears in life, but I do feel a little uncomfortable with heights. Nature is a powerful force, and I respect it! Beyond this, I don’t have fears, just curiosities… I want to try everything, meet everyone.  In life, all is good, all is welcome!

M: So how about yoga?

K: My first yoga class was actually not in a studio but in a field! A friend of mine, who was 10 years older than me, had made many visits to India and wanted to teach me. We started with Surya Namaskar, and a few other asanas. I was 16 at the time and I was fascinated and stiff!

That was the seed. I was also inspired by a book on meditation from Osho Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh which I read when I was 14.

M: You started so young! Did you try out many styles before Ashtanga?

K: I tried classical Hatha Yoga, Iyengar, Sivananda and they were all very nice. But something different happened when I tried Ashtanga.  That was when I found my true Love!

M: Who was your first Ashtanga teacher?

K: I was checking out some new yoga studios while I was living in Berlin, and then went to the open house of Studio Moveo. They were offering 20-30 minutes of each kind of yoga style they had in the schedule, so I tried them all. It was my first time practicing Ashtanga, but 20 minutes was not enough for me! So I went the day after to my first full Ashtanga class.  Oh man, that was it! I had no doubt anymore, my heart was clear as when you meet the woman of your life. But it was hard, man! I went home after class full of internal energy but so, so tired even though it was only half primary led class! My legs were shaking, but my body was sparkling.  I felt prana coming through each pore of my skin. From that day, I have never stopped.

M: Sounds like you were hooked for life from the beginning! Are there any teachers that have been major influences in your practice?

There are a few teachers among the others that have had great impact on my practice and when I say practice, I don’t mean just asana practice, but spiritual practice.

Osho was the first, my beloved master, the “man” who opened my heart and showed me the new path of my life. Indirectly, but through his books, Alan Watts gave me some light on Zen. Ramesh Balsekar made even clearer the question of non duality.

Richard Freeman is someone for whom I have great respect. He is the embodiment of a modern, western, true yogi. For me, Guruji is the direct example of a living yoga Guru -- old school with his clear message of how to approach the path of yoga. And Sharath, who has the difficult task to transmit and spread Ashtanga yoga to all of us, with his modern and fresh understanding and interpretation of it.

M: What was it like to meet Guruji for the first time?

K: I met Guruji when he turned 90 years old! Yes it maybe a bit late, but I could not manage to go to Mysore before that, better late then never! I just remember how powerful it was meeting him personally. I was sweating and it was not for the external heat, rather for the amazing energy Guruji radiates. I could hardly speak. Then he asked me, "what is your name?” and from there on, everything kind of softened up and he smiled at me. The day after was led primary and after we finished, we all got into a line to thank Guruji. When I arrived in front of him, he looked at me straight in my eyes and asked, "where you from?" I said, "Italy, Guruji," and he smiled again.

I feel blessed that I had the chance to study with him in the last few years. Last year it was strange not having him in the shala. But we know nothing is permanent and we learn it every day, every moment of our life.




M: So what’s been going on since you were "authorized"?

K: Well, I know we are not supposed to teach before being authorized, but now I am teaching a Mysore class in Tokyo, Japan at Under the Light Yoga School. It is a wonderful studio and I have the most sweet, kind, and dedicated students that I could ever wish for as yoga teacher. I love all of them!

I regularly teach workshops, mostly in Japan. I concentrate my energy on the Mysore program that is developing very nicely, especially after I received authorization from Sharath and Guruji. I have been asked to teach workshops also in other parts of the world, but it is always difficult to leave the studio and find a good sub.

M: Well, you may have some offers for subs now! Any plans for the future?

K: Hopefully to keep sharing yoga with others, help people, taking care of my future kids, share my life with a beloved partner.

M: Anything else you want to say?

K:  Thanks, Guruji, for what you have given to us. Thanks, Sharath and Saraswati, for your help, and continuing to share with all of us this great tradition of Ashtanga yoga.

As Osho used to say at the end of his talks, "enough for today!"

Check out Kranti's website at www.krantivira.com.




Michael Peter Carter is the co-founder of Livingmysore.com and practices with Paul and Rachelle Gold in Toronto, Canada.

July '08 Practice Notes

Where do I go from here?

by Brian Chase

One day last fall, as I walked home from class, I had an epiphany. At that moment I came to a personal understanding of what for me was the nature of yoga. The class was sweaty and I remember my practice felt easy. The sun was shining and the day was warm. I walked for maybe five minutes when it suddenly revealed itself, the reason for my practicing yoga became very clear.

Yoga seemed like a joke. A practical joke. A game really. A game in which I'm searching/hunting/scavanging, where I must find whatever it is I'm looking for, where I want the prize that comes at the end. The twist to the game, what makes it a practical joke, is that I already have what I'm looking for; I already have IT; I have had IT all along. Me and the prize are the same thing. I spend time/energy/effort looking for something I already have. The great Yogis of the past sit back and laugh as I sweat in vain. 

I practice. And I practice. It doesn't seem to end does it? Where do I go from here? Do I keep walking when I know I will never reach my destination? There are many milestones along the way, but do I stop there? I used to not be able to put my legs into a lotus position, now I can jump back into chaturanga from utplutihi, but I can't stand up from urdvha danurasana or do a handstand or... Does it matter? No. It doesn't matter because there's nothing there. Once I dig and breakthrough I realize that there's nothing there and that the search continues; it keeps going. I keep striving for IT though I know I will never come to a point when the search is over. Ashtanga poses itself as a teleological system; a highly organized and sequential set of processes and schemes that seem to eventually lead to the fulfillment of an ultimate goal. But the goal (the realization of the Inner Self as written in Yoga Mala?) seems less to be of an attainment than more of a revealing. I am already me and I already AM and the practice is just there to reveal/expose what is already there rather than to give me something I didn't already have. But it doesn't really end does it? And, if it never ends, then I can't really measure fulfillment by the end of the journey. It must be in the middle, maybe in the process that leads to the end. In my epiphany, that seemed more to be the point. The 'yoga' is irrelevant. 

The first part of the epiphany: I already have IT.

The second part of the epiphany: even though I already have IT, it is necessary to keep searching for IT in order to reveal IT. 

From an Ashtanga perspective, searching for IT seems to be a bit like clearing a path. The path is overgrown and needs to be cleared of obstacles and debris. The less obstacles and debris that obscure my vision and hinder my progress the easier it is to walk in the path that leads to IT. The path never ends though (well, maybe for some people) and needs constant upkeep. I need to keep coming back for IT in order to find my way. 

The purpose of the search seems to be purification, cleansing, opening; a removal of all physical, emotional, and psychological impediments; a burning away or washing over or acceptance of any obstructions that get in the way of the full realization of IT. Opening: for me to stretch and lengthen I need to open, and be open, and allow myself first to be open and then to open. To be open I have to let go. I find my limit, my confrontation, my wall and at that moment I need to let go of whatever is holding me back. I know I have IT in there and I want to be in IT. And, once I've felt IT in an asana (an expression of me in the asana), I don't want to loose it in the vinyasa to the next one; I must be strong and face the challenge that will get me from here to there. 

I breathe in Paschimottanasana, my breath doesn't care how far I go. I can pull myself further with my arms because my head [chitta-vritti, chatter] is telling me I could and should. But I don't want to pull and have my shoulders tensed all the way up my neck. My gut, heart, soul and breath don't care how far I go. If I breathe in the pose with bandhas engaged and a focused dristi I will go as far as I need to and often times further than I expect. Breath gives my expression of the pose validity - a reason for existence; bandha gives my expression of the pose intention - a determination and will; dristi gives my expression of the pose focus - a removal of distractions. These are my tools that help me in the search. Honesty, Intention, and Focus are more important than 'yoga' (even the sacrifices made for 'yoga.') 

The second part of the epiphany: it is necessary to keep searching for IT.

The third part of the epiphany: celebrate IT.

You already have IT, You already are IT, and there's nothing left to do but celebrate IT. The process of searching for IT is not one of defeat but one of continual success. It's not, "I didn't accomplish this so I failed," but instead, "I did my best with the best intention and therefore succeeded, and because of that I was able to Celebrate IT. That is why I feel so good, enlightened and wiser and happier." Everyone has IT. When I let go of me and my attachments I reveal what is already there. Maybe the fourth part of the epiphany: Everyone shares IT, I dissolves into WE. 

Brian Chase is a drummer and composer living in Brooklyn, New York. He performs and records regularly with many projescts including Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Seconds, Sway Machinery, and in various experimental ensembles which have included, among others, Matthew Welch, Mary Halvorson, and Seth Misterka, as well as his own solo percussion music called "drums and drones." Currently, his favorite pose is Padmasana.